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Vivat et Floreat Academia
EDITORIALS aculous. Probably the stimulus of the war necessity with the incident im provement of air craft was largely re sponsible. With the increasing numbers in the air the imperativeness of physical and mental fitness became obvious. Among the first to recognize this were the di rectors of the aviation services in the World War. The field was entirely new and there were no standards for guid ance. Examinations were too rigid in some respects and too lax in others. Gradually many of the errors have been weeded out and tests are now reason ably satisfactory though undoubtedly many changes still remain to be made. That physical examinations are essen tial is illustrated by the fact that aero plane accidents have been found to be much more frequent in the physically defective than in the normal. Though possibly further improvements in air craft will tend to simplify flying so that less physical perfection will be neces sary for air navigators nevertheless it is hard to conceive of flying as ever being done by those so physically and men tally inept as are now privileged to at tempt to direct automobiles through the intricacies of modern traffic. There is of course necessity for knowledge other than that acquired solely in the air and ground study has become much more time consuming for the student aviator than hours in the air. Among physical requirements the eye and ear rank high in importance. Much time and study have been spent on stan dardization of ocular and otologic tests for aviators. A differentiation into sev eral groups has been made depending on the type of flying license desired, with corresponding difference in visual requirements. The pilot who intends to fly passenger planes obviously must pass more rigid tests than he who is to fly his own plane only. Among the important ocular assets are good visual acuity, good fields, nor mal color perception, normal muscle balance and power, normal depth per ception and visual training. Unfortu nately the international standards for
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physical tests have not been accepted by the United States. Doing so would be a step in the right direction. At the September meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology the subject of medical aviation was most interestingly discussed from the governmental, ophthalmological, otolaryngological and general aspects and many interesting features cited. The difference that high altitudes cause in vision, both in loss of acuity and failure of extra ocular muscle balance, with resultant diplopia was mentioned. A chart showing the ill effect of smoking one cigar was shown, more disability being caused by this smoke than by drinking five ounces of cognac. Of great importance were psychologic tests. These proved seventy percent correct in determining whether a candidate would become a successful aviator or not. In the "good" or "bad" groups the prognostication was one hundred percent correct. The impression from the symposium was that we were dealing with a vital, rapidly growing industry, outstanding ly important in peace and in war and that ophthalmology and otolaryngology were inseparably woven into its prog ress. Lawrence T. Post. VIVAT ET FLOREAT ACADEMIA The 1931 meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and OtoLaryngology has come and gone. Some five hundred members, the majority with their wives, assembled in French Lick during the week of September 14th and struggled mightily with the heat. On the preceding Saturday, the Ophthalmic and Oto-Laryngic Boards held the bi-annual examinations in In dianapolis, investigating the profession al capabilities of the applicants. On Monday, the regular meeting opened with a joint session at which the Guest of Honor, Dr. J. C. Beck of Chicago, delivered his address. In the afternoon was the golf tournament, played in a blistering heat over the upper golf course which is hilly enough to excite comment even from a Coloradoan. On
1068
BOOK NOTICES
Tuesday morning, the Instruction Courses started and were continued for four days. Among them were the two continuous courses in Pathology, one Eye, and one Ear, Nose, and Throat, each fourteen hours in length. The rest of the meeting kept going at full pace until Friday night, the tempo of which pace must be slowed down in the future. Several features of the Academy meeting deserve special mention. At one of the regular meetings, Major G. R. Callender of the Army Medical Muse um presented a statistical report of 110 melanotic tumors of the eye that have been examined at the Museum during the past five years, with a clinical fol low-up in the majority of cases. The classification and prognosis, based upon the type of cell found, offered a new line of thought that will bear elaboration. This is the first important paper for the Ophthalmic Section of the Army Med ical Museum and it represented the pos sibilities that such a collection offers. Prof. Ames of Dartmouth had a most unusual and interesting exhibit that he and his associates explained to all in terested. They had found a measurable difference in the size of retinal images in many individuals with asthenopic symptoms that could not be explained by other ocular findings. That size dif ference, amounting at times to as much as 4 per cent, occurred not only in anisometropia as would be expected, but also in some cases of practical emetropia. By means of deep base cylin ders, they were able to correct the size difference of the retinal images, in many instances resulting in complete relief from the asthenopic symptoms. Al though the work is still experimental and the practical value remains to be proven, it is sufficiently important to arouse the interest of the ophthalmol ogist and justify his hearty cooperation in their efforts. Montreal was chosen as the site for the 1932 meeting in honor of the new President, Dr. S. H. McKee. Dr. B. Shurley was made President-Elect. Harry S. Gradle
BOOK NOTICES Augenarztliche Eingriffe, ein kurzes Handbuch fiir angehende Augenarzte (Ophthalmic operations, a short handbook for beginning oph thalmologists). By Professor Dr. J. Meller, head of the first eye clinic in Vienna. Third edition, 352 pages, with 199 illustrations in the text. Price, paper covers, 28 marks; bound, 29.80 marks. Vienna, Verlag von Julius Springer, 1931. The English editions of this work, un der the title of "ophthalmic surgery," and under the editorship of the late Dr. Sweet, have become very popular in the United States, and it is to be hoped that this new German edition will before long be represented by an English trans lation. Surgical instruction in book form has rarely been given so clearly and so ef fectively. As explained by the author in earlier editions, and again in a pre face to this third edition, the work is not intended to be a general textbook of ophthalmic operations, but gives a description of the procedures employed by the author himself. Its main purpose is instruction in the art of ophthalmic surgery. "Non eruditis, sed erudiendis, non docentibus, sed discentibus." It as sumes that the reader has spent a fair amount of time in a surgical clinic and in an eye clinic, and has thus acquired preliminary knowledge of surgery in general and of surgical ophthalmology in particular. Much space is devoted to technical details of the principal pro cedures described and none at all to theoretical explanations. The only pro cedures described are those used in the author's clinic. Two important sections have been added in the present edition, namely the intracapsular extraction of cataract and ignipuncture for retinal detachment. A discussion of Professor Meller's views and recommendations with regard to in tracapsular extraction will be found in an editorial in the November issue of this Journal. The author's considera tion of ignipuncture for retinal detach ment carries particular authority be-
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physical tests have not been accepted by the United States. Doing so would be a step in the right direction. At the September meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology the subject of medical aviation was most interestingly discussed from the governmental, ophthalmological, otolaryngological and general aspects and many interesting features cited. The difference that high altitudes cause in vision, both in loss of acuity and failure of extra ocular muscle balance, with resultant diplopia was mentioned. A chart showing the ill effect of smoking one cigar was shown, more disability being caused by this smoke than by drinking five ounces of cognac. Of great importance were psychologic tests. These proved seventy percent correct in determining whether a candidate would become a successful aviator or not. In the "good" or "bad" groups the prognostication was one hundred percent correct. The impression from the symposium was that we were dealing with a vital, rapidly growing industry, outstanding ly important in peace and in war and that ophthalmology and otolaryngology were inseparably woven into its prog ress. Lawrence T. Post. VIVAT ET FLOREAT ACADEMIA The 1931 meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and OtoLaryngology has come and gone. Some five hundred members, the majority with their wives, assembled in French Lick during the week of September 14th and struggled mightily with the heat. On the preceding Saturday, the Ophthalmic and Oto-Laryngic Boards held the bi-annual examinations in In dianapolis, investigating the profession al capabilities of the applicants. On Monday, the regular meeting opened with a joint session at which the Guest of Honor, Dr. J. C. Beck of Chicago, delivered his address. In the afternoon was the golf tournament, played in a blistering heat over the upper golf course which is hilly enough to excite comment even from a Coloradoan. On
1068
BOOK NOTICES
Tuesday morning, the Instruction Courses started and were continued for four days. Among them were the two continuous courses in Pathology, one Eye, and one Ear, Nose, and Throat, each fourteen hours in length. The rest of the meeting kept going at full pace until Friday night, the tempo of which pace must be slowed down in the future. Several features of the Academy meeting deserve special mention. At one of the regular meetings, Major G. R. Callender of the Army Medical Muse um presented a statistical report of 110 melanotic tumors of the eye that have been examined at the Museum during the past five years, with a clinical fol low-up in the majority of cases. The classification and prognosis, based upon the type of cell found, offered a new line of thought that will bear elaboration. This is the first important paper for the Ophthalmic Section of the Army Med ical Museum and it represented the pos sibilities that such a collection offers. Prof. Ames of Dartmouth had a most unusual and interesting exhibit that he and his associates explained to all in terested. They had found a measurable difference in the size of retinal images in many individuals with asthenopic symptoms that could not be explained by other ocular findings. That size dif ference, amounting at times to as much as 4 per cent, occurred not only in anisometropia as would be expected, but also in some cases of practical emetropia. By means of deep base cylin ders, they were able to correct the size difference of the retinal images, in many instances resulting in complete relief from the asthenopic symptoms. Al though the work is still experimental and the practical value remains to be proven, it is sufficiently important to arouse the interest of the ophthalmol ogist and justify his hearty cooperation in their efforts. Montreal was chosen as the site for the 1932 meeting in honor of the new President, Dr. S. H. McKee. Dr. B. Shurley was made President-Elect. Harry S. Gradle
BOOK NOTICES Augenarztliche Eingriffe, ein kurzes Handbuch fiir angehende Augenarzte (Ophthalmic operations, a short handbook for beginning oph thalmologists). By Professor Dr. J. Meller, head of the first eye clinic in Vienna. Third edition, 352 pages, with 199 illustrations in the text. Price, paper covers, 28 marks; bound, 29.80 marks. Vienna, Verlag von Julius Springer, 1931. The English editions of this work, un der the title of "ophthalmic surgery," and under the editorship of the late Dr. Sweet, have become very popular in the United States, and it is to be hoped that this new German edition will before long be represented by an English trans lation. Surgical instruction in book form has rarely been given so clearly and so ef fectively. As explained by the author in earlier editions, and again in a pre face to this third edition, the work is not intended to be a general textbook of ophthalmic operations, but gives a description of the procedures employed by the author himself. Its main purpose is instruction in the art of ophthalmic surgery. "Non eruditis, sed erudiendis, non docentibus, sed discentibus." It as sumes that the reader has spent a fair amount of time in a surgical clinic and in an eye clinic, and has thus acquired preliminary knowledge of surgery in general and of surgical ophthalmology in particular. Much space is devoted to technical details of the principal pro cedures described and none at all to theoretical explanations. The only pro cedures described are those used in the author's clinic. Two important sections have been added in the present edition, namely the intracapsular extraction of cataract and ignipuncture for retinal detachment. A discussion of Professor Meller's views and recommendations with regard to in tracapsular extraction will be found in an editorial in the November issue of this Journal. The author's considera tion of ignipuncture for retinal detach ment carries particular authority be-